Nanette Mayerchak, age 77, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Born on November 8, 1948, in Youngstown, Ohio, Nan was raised in Cuyahoga Falls and Youngstown before her family settled in Hermitage, Pennsylvania during her teenage years. It was there, on a kid-filled street in that small town, that a young Nan first came to know the boy who lived across the street — Dennis Mayerchak — the man she would one day marry.

From a previous marriage, Nan had two children, Deborah and Brian. She demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination as a single mother, raising her children in Ashland, Oregon before relocating to Phoenix, Arizona. There, alongside her beloved sister Cris Wilfong, she co-owned and operated a prominent photography studio, building a thriving business together that stood as a testament to their shared drive, creativity, and bond. Then, twenty-nine years after their chance childhood meeting, fate brought Nan and Dennis back together in Arizona, where they were united in marriage and shared thirty three devoted years as husband and wife.

Nan was a woman of many passions. An avid knitter, crafter, and gardener, she found joy in creating things with her hands and tending to the world around her. In her later years, she devoted herself to carefully researching her family’s genealogy, painstakingly compiling books and photo albums that traced multiple generations and branches of her family tree — a priceless gift of memory and heritage she leaves behind for all who follow.

Nan is preceded in death by her father, Thomas R. McQuistion, and her mother, Lucy M. McQuistion. She is survived by her loving husband, Dennis Mayerchak; her children, Deborah and Brian Brown (Mahesh Patki); her grandson, Jamar Patki; her brother, Mark McQuistion (JoAnn); her sister, Cris Wilfong (Carl); her nephew, Brandon Hetrick; her niece, Lauren McQuistion (Tyler Whitney); her great-nieces, Chloe Hetrick and Brooke Hetrick; and her cherished 17-year-old dog Sadie. Her family describes Nan as the guiding force at the heart of their lives — a woman of quiet strength, enduring love, and deep devotion to the traditions that held them all together. They now carry forward her remarkable legacy, honoring a life beautifully and fully lived.

Services will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, and a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Sun City, AZ.